South Pacific Division Annual Council Meeting 2026
November 9th – 13th, 2026
Greetings!
Welcome to the South Pacific Division Annual Council for 2026. We are praying for God’s blessing as we prepare to meet in November. We look forward to working and worshiping with you as we gather as the South Pacific Division of the General Conference Executive Committee to conduct the business that drives the mission of the Church in the South Pacific Division territory.
The meetings will take place from Wednesday November 11 through to Friday November 13 2026 at Wahroonga, NSW, Australia.
The theme for Annual Council is; “Ask for the Nations” based on Psalms 2:8 “Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession.”
We have much to be thankful to the Lord for in the South Pacific Division and it will be a joy and blessing to work with you in strengthening the work and mission of the Church and being inspired by what God has done and is doing across the South Pacific and beyond. Please keep the meetings of this annual council in your prayers as we prepare to meet together.
Blessings,
SPD Executive Team
General Conference Representatives
Thomas Lemon began his ministry in the North American Division in 1975, serving for 21 years as a pastor in Maryland and Texas. In 1996, he was called to the Rocky Mountain Conference as Assistant to the President, a position he held for six years before moving to the Oregon Conference as Ministerial Secretary. Over the years, he has also served as President of the Minnesota Conference, Secretary and later President of the Mid-America Union, and as a Vice-President of the General Conference for the last 11 years.
Tom’s greatest passion lies with the local church, its pastors, and its mission of evangelism and outreach. He also has a strong interest in Adventist Higher Education and Healthcare, which complement his current responsibilities in support of the General Conference Administration and the world divisions.
Tom is married to his wife, Jan, with whom he recently celebrated 51 years of marriage. In their early years together, Jan served as an Elementary School teacher, and in recent years she served as the Admissions Coordinator for the Physician Assistant program at Union Adventist University. Now retired, she treasures every opportunity to spend meaningful time with their four adolescent grandchildren.
Ray Wahlen is the Undertreasurer of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists having been initially elected to that position in 2015. Prior positions at the GC include Director of Seventh-day Adventist Accounting Software (otherwise known as SunPlus) for nine years and followed by five years as Associate Treasurer and Co-Director of International Personnel Resources & Services. Ray began his church employment with the General Conference Auditing Service (four years in the USA and Singapore) followed by a total of thirteen years as Treasurer of the Guam-Micronesia Mission (FED), the Montana and Washington Conferences in the United States.
For his education, Ray graduated from Pacific Union College with a BBA in Management and Accounting and has earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Maryland University College. In addition, he is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Maryland and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.
Born to missionary parents in Seoul, Korea, he became a third-generation missionary since his mother was born to missionary parents in Kunming, China. He and his wife, Maurine, are the parents of two adult children (both married) – Jessica and Michael. In addition, they have three beautiful granddaughters.
Ray has a passion to serve the Lord on the financial side of the Church by removing inefficiencies, creating integrated financial systems, and promoting collaborative teams across traditional boundaries.
DAILY SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS
Times are subject to change. All times are AEDT
MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2026 | ||
| 8.15am – 9.00am | Devotional Speaker: Eddie Tupa’i, President, New Zealand Pacific Union Conference | Worship Room |
| 8.30am – 9.30am | AUC and SPD Senior Officers Consultation | Vanuatu Meeting Room |
| 9.30am – 10.30am | NZPUC and SPD Senior Officers Consultation | Vanuatu Meeting Room |
| 10.30am – 11.30am | TPUM and SPD Senior Officers Consultation | Vanuatu Meeting Room |
| 11.30am – 12.30pm | PNGUM and SPD Senior Officers Consultation | Vanuatu Meeting Room |
| 12.30pm – 1.30pm | Lunch Break | |
| 1.30pm – 5.00pm | Union Presidents Council | Australia Meeting Room |
TUESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2026 | ||
| 8.15am – 9.00am | Devotional Speaker: Brendan Pratt, President, Australian Union Conference | Worship Room |
| 8.30am – 9.00am | NZ Conference Executive Committee | Vanuatu Meeting Room |
| 9.00am – 10.25am | SDAC (Pacific) Ltd Board of Directors | Australia Meeting Room |
| 10.30am – 12.00pm | SDAC (SPD) Ltd Board of Directors | Australia Meeting Room |
| 2.00pm – 5.00pm | Annual Council Registration | Australia Meeting Room |
WEDNESDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2026 | ||
| 7.30am – 8.15am | Annual Council Registration | San Tulloch Room |
| 8.15am – 9.00am | Devotional Speaker: Glenn Townend, President, South Pacific Division | San Tulloch Room |
| 9.00am – 9.10am | Welcome | San Tulloch Room |
| 9.10am – 11.45am | SDAC (Pacific) Ltd General Meeting Agenda | San Tulloch Room |
| 11.45am – 12.30pm | DEC Agenda | San Tulloch Room |
| 12.30pm – 2.00pm | Lunch Break | Foyer, San Tulloch Room |
| 2.00pm – 5.00pm | SDAC (Pacific) Ltd General Meeting Agenda | San Tulloch Room |
THURSDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2026 | ||
| 8.15am – 9.00am | Devotional Speaker: Tom Lemon, General Vice President, General Conference | San Tulloch Room |
| 9.00am – 11.55am | SDAC (Pacific) Ltd General Meeting Agenda | San Tulloch Room |
| 11.55am – 12.30pm | DEC Agenda | San Tulloch Room |
| 12.30pm – 2.00pm | Lunch Break | San Tulloch Room |
| 2.00pm – 5.00pm | SDAC (Pacific) Ltd General Meeting Agenda | San Tulloch Room |
| 5.00pm – 5.20pm | SDAC (Pacific) Ltd Annual General Meeting | San Tulloch Room |
| 5.20pm – 5.30pm | New Zealand Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Annual General Meeting | San Tulloch Room |
FRIDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2026 | ||
| 8.15am – 9.00am | Devotional Speaker: Danny Philip, President, Papua New Guinea Union Mission | Worship Room |
| Company Annual General Meetings 9.00am – 12.40pm | ||
| 9:00am – 9:15am | Seventh-day Adventist Church (SPD) Ltd – Members AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 9:15am – 9:30am | Seventh-day Adventist Church (Division Services) Ltd – Members AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 9:30am – 9:45am | Division CCMF Ltd – Members AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 9:45am – 10:05am | Australian Health & Nutrition Association Ltd – Members AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 10:05am – 10:20am | Australian Wholistic Health & Wellbeing Company Ltd – Members AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 10:20am – 10:30am | Australasian Conference Association Ltd – Members AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 10:30am – 11:00am | AHCL AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 11:00am – 11:25am | Break | |
| 11:25am – 11:35am | ACA Health Benefits Fund AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 11:35am – 12:00pm | Avondale University Ltd – Members AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 12:00pm – 12:20pm | Adsafe Ltd – Members AGM | Australia Meeting Room |
| 12:20pm – 12:40pm | New Zealand Conference Association Board of Trustees | Australia Meeting Room |
Agendas
Log on to Convene to access the agendas for this Annual Council. For Convene support, please contact Fiona or Leteysha at Secretariat@adventist.org.au
Registration
Committee members and Invitees attending Annual Council Meetings are required to register. Registration will be held as follows:
2:00pm – 5:00pm on Tuesday the 10th of November in the Australia Meeting Room,
and
7:00am – 8:15am on Wednesday the 11th of November at the San Tulloch Room.
Staff Attendance
During Annual Council this year, SPD staff are invited to join with the committee in Worship each day, including on Wednesday and Thursday in the SAN Tulloch Room. Following worship on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, staff are invited to stay to hear reports from the Secretary and Chief Financial Officer and the Unions.
W O R S H I P
| Monday the 9th of November in the SPD Worship Room Pr Eddie Tupa’i | President of the New Zealand Pacific Union Conference |
| Tuesday the 10th of November in the SPD Worship Room Pr Brendan Pratt | President of Australian Union Conference |
| Wednesday the 11th of November in the SAN Tulloch Room Pr Glenn Townend | President of the South Pacific Division |
| Thursday the 12th of November in the SAN Tulloch Room Pr Tom Lemon | General Vice President of the General Conference |
| Friday the 13th of November in the SPD Worship Room Pr Danny Philip | President of the Papua New Guinea Union Mission |
Eddie Tupa’i
President, New Zealand Pacific Union Conference
Bio
Pr. Eddie Tupa’i was baptised one month before his 10th birthday at Ponsonby Church in Auckland. He didn’t really understand any of the Bible doctrines. He just knew that God loved him, and that he loved God.
Eddie currently serves as the Lead Pastor of the New Zealand Pacific region of the Seventh-day Adventist Church that include Pitcairn Island, Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia, French Polynesia, Cook Islands and Aotearoa New Zealand.
Eddie spent six years as a computer geek for Mobil New Zealand before becoming a church geek, a pastor! He is passionate about healthy church ministry and leadership. His Doctor of Ministry degree is in the areas of leadership, mission and church.
Eddie’s second love is Tessa, his wife of 35 years, who is a school geek with a PhD in education. They very much love their four adult sons, their three grandchildren, their cat and dog.
When Eddie is not leading or studying leadership, he enjoys listening to podcasts, walking in nature, following the NBA, checking out tech gadgets, and mowing the lawn.
His ministry text is Isaiah 56:7 “These will I bring to my holy mountain, and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar. For my house will be called a house of prayer for all people.”
Brendan Pratt
President, Australian Union Conference
Bio
Brendan Pratt currently serves as the president of the Australian Union Conference, prior to this role, he was the director for the Global Mission Centre for Secular and Post Christian Mission. He is passionate about seeing communities transformed with the Jesus story.
In 2022, Brendan completed his completed his PhD that explores the relationships between consumerism and faith development. He is married to Amanda Bews, an author, and dad to Brad, Ben and James. His family includes a variety of reptiles.
Glenn Townend
President, South Pacific Division
Bio
Pr Glenn Townend, President of the South Pacific Division since 2025. Born in South Australia.
With extensive experience as a pastor, chaplain, departmental director, conference president, and union president, he has a strong passion for disciple-making and church planting, while also enjoying cycling and gardening.
Glenn is married to Pamela Townend, they have 3 adult children and 9 grandchildren.
Danny Philip
President, Papua New Guinea Union Mission
Bio
Pastor Danny is the President for Papua New Guinea Union Mission and church administrator from Papua New Guinea, known for his strong emphasis on discipleship, mission growth, and grassroots church involvement.
Danny has extensive experience in leadership in PNG and the South Pacific Division. His life reflects a deep commitment to pastoral ministry and mission service. His call to ministry began with a passion for sharing the gospel and nurturing believers in local church settings. Danny’s philosophy is every church member is called to be a disciple maker.
Danny is married to Sussie and they have 3 beautiful children.
Map
Please refer to the attached map for directions on how to get to the Tulloch Room from the Quarters.
